A lot has happened recently at the Calgary Zoo- so it’s time for a gorilla update!

It’s been an eventful few months for our gorilla troop. We welcomed new life, with the first gorilla baby born in eight years, and said goodbye to a long-term leader, as silverback Kakinga passed away of age-related heart complications. Older female Zuri required an emergency surgery to treat a severe abdominal infection.

Today marks the 13th day since our baby gorilla arrived! The Animal Care team has been keeping close watch on how the little one is doing but are noticing that the baby is small and has a low weight. The team has seen very successful bonding between Kioja and her baby as well as strong paternal protective instincts from Kakinga. Despite these positive behaviours, the baby is not progressing as quickly as hoped.

We’re nearing the end of Kioja’s term of pregnancy, which means that our animal care team is starting to keep an extra close watch on our favourite expecting gorilla. Kioja’s due date is estimated to be in late February or early March, but like mothers of the human variety, it is possible for the baby to arrive early, or to arrive fashionably late.

We’ve mentioned troop dynamics, the importance of this gorilla baby to the Species Survival Plan (SSP), and the potential outcomes for the birth of this western lowland gorilla, but we’ve have yet to talk about a question on everyone’s mind- what does the road to birth look like for a gorilla? Much like when a human is expecting a child, there are certain behaviors that are typical in a pregnancy to watch out for.

When people have children, new moms and dads rely on classes, experience of others and the numerous how-to books made available. Welcoming a new gorilla baby to the zoo is much the same thing when there is no other ‘mom’ that can lend her know-how. Getting ready is is hard work!

ABOUT THE BLOG

At the Calgary Zoo, we have endless stories to share about our animals, our people and our conservation work. Whether we are inspiring our visitors to love nature, saving species in western Canada from extinction or working with scientists on the other side of the globe, our ultimate goal is simple: to help wildlife and keep it wild.